MUNCIE, Ind. — The Muncie Mall will lose a retail store at the beginning of next year, while another store's future remains unclear.

Pacific Sunwear of Calfornia (PacSun), a teen fashion store, announced it will leave the mall Jan. 28 as part of the company's nationwide consolidation efforts.

"(The company is) kind of cutting off the loose ends that aren't really making the profits they should," store manager Matt Kundenreich said.

PacSun area manager Alan Gatica said Muncie's location is a "tier 5" store, which is the category for the lowest volume and thus made it a good location to close. Muncie's store currently employs 18 people.

The store's national headquarters filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in April, but later was granted court approval to exit bankruptcy. The clothing company will be acquired by Golden Gate Capital, a private equity firm.

All merchandise at the Muncie location is included in the store's "buy one, get two free" sale, going on now and through the holiday season. Shipments of merchandise are still coming in. The store is hiring three or four seasonal employees who would work up until the store closes.

Meanwhile, Aeropostale, another teen clothing store, has signs reading "store closing," but mall officials told The Star Press that the store has not ended its lease and would not comment further. The store's Facebook page said its merchandise is 40-60 percent off and that all inventory must be sold to make room for "a new Aero at select locations."

Nationally, Aeropostale announced its closing of 154 stores after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. In a USA Today article published in May, only two Indiana stores — at College Mall in Bloomington and Jefferson Pointe Mall in Fort Wayne — were expected to shutter.

Muncie store employees were unable to comment about their location's situation, and messages left at the store's corporate office have not been returned.

PacSun follows other retail outlets such as Body Central and Wet Seal that also have left the mall. The complex still houses other teen clothing shops such as Charlotte Russe and Vanity.

When PacSun's Muncie location closes, the company is still expected to have its locations at Glenbrook Square in Fort Wayne, Greenwood Park Mall in Greenwood and Castleton Square mall in Indianapolis.